Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-08
WASHINGTON NOTES.

| >~~~~~~' A~@'s
| WASHINGTON, January Cit is said to b
probable that Senator Sewell will be mad
chairman OF the Senate Committee on mill
| tary affairs made vacant by the death O
Logan; that Senator Hawley, now chair
| man OF the committee on civil service, viii
succeed General Sewell as chairman of tn,
library committee that Senator Stanford
will become General Hawley's successor al
| chairman of the committee on civil service
The House Committee on elections to-day
finally acted upon the contested election
cases OF Page VS. Pierce, of Rhode Island
and Kidd VS. Steele, of Indiana. The
majority of the committee decided that
neither party is entitled to seat. The
minority report will be made to the house
recommending that the sitting Republican
member, Pierce, be awarded the seat. In
the Indiana case the committees report
will be unanimous in favor Of the right ol
Steele, Republican, to retain his seat.
The House Committee on civil service re.
form to-day instructed Chairman Cox to
report favorably to the House the Senate
bill to repeal the tenure of Office act.
Among the memorials presented in the
Senate to day and referred were the fol-
lowing:
By Edmunds-Of the Committee of the
General Convention of Protestant and
Episcopal Church, praying Congress to pro-
vide for obtaining statistics of marriage
and divorce.
By Blair-Large number of petitions from
various organizations in all parts of the
country, asking legislation to prevent the
violation Of the Sabbath in running rail.
road trains.
Among the bills introduced and referred
were the following:
BY Vance-To protect minors in tho Dis
trict of Columbia.
BY Edmunds-From the Committee on
Foreign Rela tions. reported bill to incor-
prrate the Maritime Canal Company, ef
Nicaragua; calendar.
Anderson brought before the Senate the
case of the claim against Mexico for the
killing of Captain Crawford commander OF
United States troops in pursuit of Geroni-
mo) by Mexican troops in Mexico in JaEu-
uary, SO, stating that stronger and more
the relief Of Captain Crawford's heirs. The
bill was referred.
In Committee OF the Whole tho House
which appropriates $76,247,O 900, being
only S., 900 below the estimates, the re-
duction being in the item for the rent of
Office or pension agencies without amend
ment or discussion. The bill was read,
to the House and passed.
The House then-yeas 1873 nays IT,
went into Committee OF the Whole (Mr.
Springer, OF Illinois, in the chair) on the
Naval Reorganization bill.
Mr.. Sayers, of Texas, advocated the
measure. He proceeded to draw deplor-
able picture of the navy too weak to fight
and too slow to run away. and OF the navy
yards useless and worn out and utterly in
capable OF constructing frst-class war
vessels, and in tracing the causes of this
and decay to the cumber-
fed his position with extracts from ex-
pressed opinions Of Secretaries Whitney
and Chandler. He stated that the oppo-
sition to the measure was directed to that
lea ture which provided for the consolida-
tion OF the bureaus Of equipments md re-
cruiting OF steam engineering ard pf con-
struction and repair. But for the consoli-
1ation OF those three bureaus there should
be no objection to the passage of the bill.
The report accompanying the bill says
It is in the highest degree desirable that
this transit should be under the influence.
I it canno: be under the control, of the
United States. Looking TO the large bene-
it's, not only TO the United States and the
oublics, but also TO commerce and inter-
State communication, the whole sister
rood of civilized governments on the
,lobe, the committee recommends the pas
'age of the till in hope that the resources
lad enterprise of the private citizens of our
may be enabled to accomplish this
,reat work, even If our Government itself
s not yet ready to undertake it.
Senator Sherman to-day reported favor |
,bfy from the Committee on Foreign Rela. |
ions. An amenlment intended to be pro- !
posed to the Sundry Civil Appropriation
Bill to provide for the expense of prelim- |
nary reconnaissance to be made under the !
Erection OF the Secretary Of the Navy, to |
xamine the conflguration of the conven- |
icnal boundary line between Alaska and |
British Columbia, following the Coast from
Portland Channel to the 141st meridian. |
md to ascertain and report how far the |
natural features of the country permit the |
accurate loca tion Of the line OF demarka-
ion contemplated by the treaty of 1867, |
eding Alaska to the United States.
Mr.. Boutelle, Of Maine, opposed the bill. |
The existing organization of the navy was |
ldequate to all the demands of the present |
md all probable requirements OF the future. |
to a discussion OF it's tdeails he /
everely criticized the feature which, he de-
Jared, would Oreak down the autonomy OF
he great engineering bureau at the very
lour when the country was looking to
'lace the American navy in advance OF the
'est achievements OF the world.
MIR. McAdoo, OF New Jersey, favored the
ill. Pending further debate the commit
ee rose and the House adjourned.
The bill reported by Edmunds to-day to
the Mara time Canal Company,
# Nicaragua, provides that the COM
,any's affairs shall be managed by eleven
irectors, citizens of the United States and
Iicaraugua and that the tolls shall not
xceed 81 per ton of freight; that the United
states may exercise such control over the
anal as is not inconsistent with treaty OBJ
cations and that power to alt, r, amend
r repeal the act shall be reserved to Con.
ress.
The President received call to day from
he young man whom he recently pardoned
rom the penitentiary. When the Presi-
ent saw his card he recognized the name
nd directed that the visitor be shown in.
he young man said he lived some distance
:om Washington but had come here in
rider to pers onally thank the President
,r restoring him to liberty and to his
amily. and also to assure him that in the
lture his conduct would convince the
PRESIDENT that his clemency had not been
misplaced. The President crested his viz. y